Had to leave one behind

[dvst8r]

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone that has contacted me about giving me a hand this weekend.

Looks like with all the snow that they have had, and now the good weather, if we can get it out in a decent amount of time it might still make for a decent ride day.

 

[dvst8r]

Big thanks to Darwin (heavy d) and his son, with their effort we got it out, it is now safe and sound in the garage at home, and ready for some diagnostic time.

I am in their debt, and as Darwin's wish for me to pay it forward in all of your debts.

It was an interesting day to say the least. My wife and I got to the sled at about 10:40, it was still exactly where we left it 3 weeks prior, just well drifted in. We dug all around it, and cleaned all the snow off of it, I did some basic diagnostics (check for spark, trying to get the fuel pump to go ect...) without any luck. So I started to pull the belt, about that time I noticed Darwin's truck on the road, and so I made my way over there, met up with him and his son, and we went back to the sled to attempt the recovery.

I had bought a BRAND new tow rope just for this, I pulled it out of the bag just at that time, hooked it on to Darwin's sled he gave it some gentle throttle and "POP" the rope breaks free from it's hook.

So we grab Darwin's heavy tow strap, hook it up, and manage to get it pulled out of the hole and a few feet forward, before his sled sinks in. We reposition and try again, again a few feet. After a number of those, Darwin suggests, we try using two sleds to tow. So I bring my sled around, I tie a loop in the end of the tow rope that is down one hook, and we go, and once again "POP" there goes the other tow hook.

So I tie another loop, and we try again I am now pulling from mid rope, this time the sled moves okay, but the way we are hooked up makes my sled go one way and Darwin's go the other. So we re hookup, and give it another shot, this time it goes well, and we tow it all the way back to the trailer. They help me load it on, we all load up, and wisely Darwin asks if he should wait till we are ready (I have a 2wd jetta, and it has been drifting quite badly)

This turns out to be again my saving grace, as sure enough I get stuck in one of the drifts, and now he has to tow my car and sleds out.

I get back to the main road, and I have a voicemail from Trevor (spike7ss) saying he is just about there. I say good bye to Darwin, as he has prior commitments and STILL came out, and wait fro Trevor. My wife gets impatient and I unload the sled and she goes off to the farm house. While I am waiting for Trevor I go for a few blasts down the road. Sure enough, I blow a belt, I am just in the process of changing it and Trevor rolls up and offers a hand (he has no idea who I am at this point) we chat a bit and realize who each other are, so I get the spare belt on and meet him at the unload point. Where he gets his truck stuck, and we play around for a few minutes getting him out.

Now my sled wont start, this one always starts... GRRR

We manage to get it running, and go for a ride, good day a little windy, my sled is really hit in miss in the way that it will run, the few times I really get it to produce some rpm and some power, the track ratchets...

Trevor notices that my limiting strap is broken. and once again now my sled is tough to start, we play around for ah wile longer, and then stop for one more break. We decide we will go for another 30min and then call it a day.

We now spend 15min of that try to start my sled again, when it finally does, we both agree it is time to call it a day, and head back to the truck, Trevor loads up and I follow him out to the main road on my sled, then take off back to the farm house to load up and get the wife.

All in all quite the adventure, but a good day.

Thanks again to Darwin, and his son for the recovery help, and thanks to Trevor, for going on the ride.

 

[heavy d]

Brent and I were glad to help man, it was good to meet you and your wife, wish we could have stayed and played......oh well. Sounds like you got to have some fun anyhow.

Remember, Turn about is fair play.....pay it forward if you can...

take care man.

 

[dvst8r]

... Remember, Turn about is fair play.....pay it forward if you can...

I will at any chance I have.